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Is tube sound vs solid state easier to distinguish using headphones?

Well designed tube amplifiers and solid state amplifiers in general sound remarkably similar with a wide range of music. The slight holographic and imaging properties that tubes can allegedly portray over certain solid state designs is what brings people to the “tube sound” camp. My question for the audiophiles here is whether it’s even detectable in most speaker setups or does a high quality pair of headphones showcase the tube sound qualities more accurately due to their near-field nature?

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Showing 1 response by knotscott

knotscott
814 posts
 

After owning Hafler, NYAL Moscode,B&K, Mitsubishi, and Discrete Technology separate amps,as well as many receivers and integrated amps, my view is that it’s pretty easy to tell a good tube amp from a solid state amp with good speakers without headphones 

It’s the clarity through the mids and highs of my Dynaco and VTA tube amps thatbrings that holographic soundstage.

​​​​​​What reasonably priced tubes generally don’t do as well on is bass authority,

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